Is Christian Salvation Eternal or Contingent?

An ongoing debate among some Christians is on whether salvation is eternal or contingent upon our actions. I endorse the former, while others may endorse the latter. Below I have offered Biblical support for my endorsement.

Biblical Support

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 11:29 “for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.”

1 John 5:12 “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

John 10:9 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”

Philippians 1:3-6 “I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in your will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

John 10:27-30 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

What is Our Role?

Our role is to strive to understand Jesus’ ministry and messages. He calls on us to call on Him, to have faith in Him, and to repent of our earthly ways.

Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 13:19-23 “When anyone hears the passage and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on the rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

Luke 24:31-32 “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'”

Revelation 3:19-22 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Luke 15:7 “’Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the New Testament supports eternal salvation for those with faith even as small as a mustard seed. Rejoice! The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.

Hebrews 12:1 “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

2 Replies to “Is Christian Salvation Eternal or Contingent?”

Of course, salvation is eternal – is not salvation eternal life? Of course, salvation is the work of God. “He who began a good work in you…” “who works in you, both to will and to do…” Salvation is only possible through the blood of Christ.

Not going to hell is the smallest part of salvation – or, rather, salvation means to see God and to be like Jesus (which necessarily involves not going to hell, but that hardly makes not going to hell the main thing). Those will be saved who truly want to be saved. Those will see God who want to see God. Those will be like Jesus who want to be like Him. No one is saved who could not care less about seeing God or being made like Jesus: that would be an absurdity, even a contradiction in terms.

Thus, I don’t even see the meaning in the question, “Is Salvation eternal or contingent on our actions?” Salvation is eternal, and our good actions are included in our salvation which is given to us wholly by God.